Vietnam Trails............................................................17 days

VIETNAM TRAILS

17 DAYS FROM

PER PERSON $6,680

INCLUSIVE FROM NEW ZEALAND

ALL MEALS

TOUR HIGHLIGHTS

 Drift on the Mekong Delta  Wander charming Hoi An  Cruise the Perfume River  Explore Hanoi by cyclo  Discover Sapa’s local villages  Admire stunning Halong Bay

PRICE INCLUDES

•14 breakfasts, 12 lunches, 14 dinners •International flights and current taxes •Domestic transportation •4 star accommodation, plus overnight train •Touring with guides and entrance fees •Visa fees for NZ passport holders

Learn the skills and secrets of the flavourful Vietnamese cuisine with a cooking class. Head to a local market to pick fresh, seasonal produce before returning to the kitchen, cooking up a storm and feasting on the results! The best way to experience the beauty of Sapa’s landscapes is to get out into them, which you’ll do on an easy hike through the rice terraces. There’ll be stops en route to meet hilltribe communities and to try your hand at ‘batik’. Take your seats for ‘the Quintessence of Tonkin’, an outdoor spectacular that perfectly showcases the rich culture and daily life of Vietnam’s northern river delta through talented performers, water puppetry, and lights.

Cook up a Vietnamese feast

EXPERIENCES YOU’LL LOVE

Spend two days hiking in Sapa’s terraced valleys

ITINERARY

DAYS 1-2: FLY TO SAIGON Fly overnight o Saigon, Vietnam’s largest and most evocative city. Depending on your time of arrival the rest of the day is yours to start soaking up the local culture.

DAY 3: DISCOVER SAIGON Contemplate the horrors of guerrilla warfare at the astonishing Cu Chi Tunnels before returning to Saigon. Seamlessly blending past and present, Saigon is both a treasure trove of cultural sights and the city that is driving Vietnam towards a bright future. Visit the Central Post Office before heading to the Reunification Palace and the chilling War Remnants Museum.

DAY 4: MEKONG DELTA Journey to Ben Tre to take a cruise on the Mekong. Paddle through the maze of palm-lined canals and get a glimpse of daily life on the Mekong Delta. Lunch on typical Mekong fare. Return to Saigon.

DAY 5: JOURNEY TO HOI AN Fly to Danang and transfer to Hoi An. Take a walking tour of charming Hoi An – a wonderfully laidback and wilfully traditional place, whose lantern-lined streets are a delight to wander. Enjoy a tour of the ancient town, and stop to visit Reaching Out, a social enterprise craft workshop.

DAY 6: HOI AN COOKING CLASS Purchase fresh ingredients at the market for a cookery class at a local restaurant, consuming your creations for lunch. Enjoy your afternoon at leisure to further explore, perhaps visiting its famous 24-hour tailors and sandal makers, or many art and lantern shops.

DAY 7: HOI AN FREE DAY Enjoy a day at leisure. Perhaps savour a relaxing coffee, pop into the town for a stroll or even head to the beach. DAY 8: IMPERIAL HUE Leave Hoi An for Hue, taking a scenic route over the Hai Van Pass. Visit the imposing Imperial Citadel and Forbidden Purple City. Later, visit the UNESCO World Heritage Royal Tomb of Minh Mang, a complex of 40 monuments set in surroundings of gardens and pools. Continue to the old Thien Mu Pagoda before taking a cruise on the Perfume River.

DAY 9: EXPLORE HANOI Fly to Hanoi this morning. After lunch, enjoy a tour of the city including the Ho Chi Minh Quarter, One Pillar Pagoda and the Confucian Temple of Literature. Wrap up your day with a traditional Vietnamese coffee – with an egg twist!

DAY 10: TRAVELLING NORTH Today, take a road trip up north to Vietnam’s northern Highlands, arriving in Sapa in the late afternoon. The vast panoramas of ribboning rice terraces that snake their way across these highlands are a testament to the extraordinary farming skills of the many communities of the region.

 HALONG BAY (1N)

VIETNAM

HUE (1N)

DANANG

HOI AN (3N)

CU CHI

SAIGON (3N)

MEKONG DELTA

PLANE COACH BOAT VIETNAM

PHYSICAL RATING

3

IS THIS TOUR FOR YOU?

The perfect length for a more in-depth Vietnam exploration! Start in the south in Saigon, venturing north via Hoi An, Hanoi and Halong Bay before heading up to Sapa for an active exploration of the highlands and local communities.

Take a cable car ride to Mount Fansipan Stroll along the pretty waterfront of Hoi An Old Town

DAY 11: SAPA Spend the next two days discovering this verdant and beautiful area of rolling hills and rice terraces with some light walking through the surrounding valleys and villages, and visits to ethnic minority communities including those of the Hmong people.

DAY 12: SAPA Take a 3 km stroll through the countryside from Sapa to sleepy Suoi Ho for another glimpse of village life. Later, visit the hamlet of Ma Tra, home to members of the Hmong and Red Dao communities.

DAY 13: MOUNT FANSIPAN Take a cable car ride up Mount Fansipan, the highest mountain in Indochina, arriving at the summit to enjoy incredible views from a breathtaking 3,143 metres. This afternoon, return to Hanoi before continuing to Halong Bay next morning.

DAYS 14-15: CRUISE HALONG BAY Head to Halong, where we’ll embark on a traditional ship. Spend a day and night cruising amongst magnificent karst peaks on the waters of Halong Bay, with opportunities to swim, kayak, or even explore one of the bay’s many caves. Spend a night on board before returning to Hanoi the next day. On your last evening, attend the Quintessence of Tonkin show, a spectacular open-air performance celebrating the rich history of northern Vietnam. DAYS 16-17: DEPART HANOI Fly to New Zealand, arriving home the same or following day.

EXTEND YOUR STAY...

VICTORIA MEKONG DOWNSTREAM 5 days from $1,780pp twin share

HANOI & NINH BINH 5 days from $1,290pp twin share

Visit page page 60 to learn more about all of our extensions and stopovers. PRICES & DEPARTURES

Prices are per person, twin share

2023 DATES

21 Feb - 09 Mar $6,680 03 Oct - 19 Oct $6,680 12 Sep - 28 Sep $6,680 2024 DATES

05 Mar - 21 Mar $6,880 24 Oct - 09 Nov $6,880 10 Sep - 26 Sep $6,880

Flight and supplement information

•Based on departures from Auckland, Wellington & Christchurch •Regional NZ departures available and flight upgrades available upon request •Land only (Saigon - Hanoi) 15 days from $5,180 per person, twin share •Single supplement from $1,100

Important note

Prices include airline fuel surcharge and taxes. Correct as of 01 September 2022, subject to change. Depending on airline schedules, you may depart and/or arrive on Day 2. Extra nights’ accommodation (pre or post tour) or stopovers may be required at an additional cost.

Customary tipping amount of approximately US$80pp is paid locally in Vietnam.

Call for our 2025 pricing and departures

AVAILABLE AS YOUR OWN PRIVATE TOUR Enjoy flexibility, your own guide and vehicle.